Trip reports

Field Meeting at Elmley

Sunday, 18 November 2007

Elmley was sunny but there was a wind reaching storm force at times.
After wrapping up warm against the wind, which had the chill factor with it, we battled our way to the distant hides. En route I saw a very fast low flying Merlin and we also saw at least 6 Little Grebe in one of the ditches and a few Little Egret. We missed the first few hides, not seeing much from the path, and made our way to the Swale Hide for lunch. Climbing over a stile we noticed a small white and grey bird flying up and down a ditch nearby.
After a short time scanning the ditch, the bird was relocated on the water drifting in and out of the edge of the reeds into a sheltered area of water. It was a juvenile Grey Phalarope, which had been reported on and off over the past few days.
Whilst we had lunch in the Swale Hide we saw small groups of Bar and Black-tailed Godwits, up to 12 Avocet, Turnstone and Curlew.
We made our way back to one of the other hides and had very close views of Teal, Wigeon, Mallard and a couple of Pintail and a build up of more Godwits. 2 or 3 Marsh Harriers spooked the flocks and most dispersed into the surrounding pools.
We battled the wind back to the farm, where we finished the day off with a couple of Little Owls sheltering in one of the oak trees behind the loos. Altogether 44 species were seen.